Welcome to the Reverse Osmosis Membrane Identification Video Page. RO membranes are replaced only once every 1-2 years, making it easy to forget which membrane you need. Others simply do not have the manual for their system and need help finding the correct membrane. This video will help you face the reality of removing your membrane for identification purposes. Everyone wants to avoid this if possible, but if you don't know the model # and you don't have any documentation, you are left with only one option. You will need to remove the membrane for identification.

Reverse Osmosis Membrane Identification Video Transcript

Hey Everyone; Aquaman here with Water Wisdom sponsored by WaterFilters.NET. Today’s video is one of the most common questions we get in our client services department. And that is, "How do I identify my reverse osmosis system membrane?" Now obviously, if you have the manual or the model number you probably wouldn't be watching this video, because it is quite easy to find that information there. So, this video is to help you identify your membrane when you don't know what you have. Unfortunately, there's only one way to do it and it's gonna require a little work, but in the end it will be worth it obviously, and that is that you’re going to need to remove the membrane from the membrane housing. If you don't have the manual and you don't have any other information and it's not written on the membrane housing, there's only one place you're gonna find it and that's on the membrane itself in the membrane housing. Every membrane manufacture has a model number or some identifying number on the outside wrapping of the membrane. I've only found one in my numerous years of experience that didn't have some kind of identifying mark on it. So, you need to shut off the water supply to your system. You're gonna go to the valve and shut off the supply of cold water to the system. Then, it would be a good idea to turn off the valve on your tank. Turn the valve to the "off" position. Now you can safely remove the membrane from the membrane housing. So, let me show you how I would disassemble this particular system to remove this membrane. First, I need to remove the membrane from the mounting clips. It's just a friction fit, it pops out like so. And now I have to get this assembly off of the end. So first, I'm going to remove these water lines from these quick connect fittings. You can see why quick connect fittings are so nice, I'm not using any special tools. If you are fortunate to have quick connect fittings on your system, it will be quite easy for you as well. Then, I am going to remove this big clunky ASO valve and now I can access the cap. Now some membrane housings have a wrench available for their cap. This one doesn't and if you keep the threads lubricated on your membrane housing with food-grade silicone grease like you should. Then you won't have any problem doing what I'm about to do, which is unscrew the cap. There we go. Then the membrane is inside and literally, it just pulls out. There we go, and that pulled out very nicely because this has been professionally assembled and the brine seal, this black rubber ring is called a brine seal, has been properly lubricated with silicone grease and so it just slid right out. I don't know if you can see it in the video, but there is a label on this membrane: TFM 100. That’s a very common and modern membrane, about 45 to 50 dollars approximately for something like that. You can get the appropriate replacement. This of course is an industry standard-sized membrane housing and an industry standard-sized membrane so finding a replacement is very easy. But, if your system is old or of an unknown brand, maybe it has been discontinued. Then you’re gonna have a tougher time finding a replacement, and that is what we’re here for. We can look it up if you provide us with the information on this membrane. But, you've got to get it out of the system first. Every system is different; I mean they might be similar in construction, something not unlike this one with vertical canisters for the pre-filters and then the membrane going horizontal on top, but how the plumbing works varies a little bit. So somehow you have to be able to access the cap on the end of your membrane housing, and unscrew that cap and then slide the membrane out of the membrane housing. On that membrane you will find some identifying number that you can provide to one of the client services representatives and they can then find the appropriate replacement. If the membrane you're currently using has been discontinued there is often a replacement. I'm your host Aquaman, and thanks for watching!